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Works councils - sand or grease in the operation of German firms?

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  • Thorsten Schank
  • Claus Schnabel
  • Joachim Wagner

Abstract

Using a large panel data set it is investigated whether works councils act as sand or grease in the operation of German firms. Stochastic production frontier analysis indicates that establishments with and without a works council do not exhibit significant differences in efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2004. "Works councils - sand or grease in the operation of German firms?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(3), pages 159-161.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:11:y:2004:i:3:p:159-161
    DOI: 10.1080/1350485042000203779
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    1. Richard B. Freeman & Edward P. Lazear, 1995. "An Economic Analysis of Works Councils," NBER Chapters, in: Works Councils: Consultation, Representation, and Cooperation in Industrial Relations, pages 27-52, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Addison, John T & Schnabel, Claus & Wagner, Joachim, 2001. "Work Councils in Germany: Their Effects on Establishment Performance," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 53(4), pages 659-694, October.
    3. Schmidt, Peter & Sickles, Robin C, 1984. "Production Frontiers and Panel Data," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 2(4), pages 367-374, October.
    4. Fitzroy, Felix R & Kraft, Kornelius, 1987. "Efficiency and Internal Organization: Works Councils in West German Firms," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 54(216), pages 493-504, November.
    5. Joel Rogers & Wolfgang Streeck, 1995. "Works Councils: Consultation, Representation, and Cooperation in Industrial Relations," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number roge95-1, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Joachim Wagner, 2014. "Daten des IAB-Betriebspanels und Firmenpaneldaten aus Erhebungen der Amtlichen Statistik – substitutive oder komplementäre Inputs für die Empirische Wirtschaftsforschung? [Are data from the IAB Est," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 47(1), pages 63-70, March.
    2. Jensen, Uwe & Rässler, Susanne, 2006. "Stochastic production frontiers with multiply imputed German establishment data," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 39(2), pages 277-295.
    3. repec:aia:aiaswp:wp59 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Jensen, Uwe & Rässler, Susanne, 2006. "Stochastic production frontiers with multiply imputed German establishment data," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 39(2), pages 277-295.
    5. Daniel Fackler & Claus Schnabel & Jens Stegmaier, 2024. "Personnel adjustments during the Covid-19 pandemic: did co-determination make a difference?," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 58(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Brian Burgoon & Damian Raess, 2009. "Globalization and Working Time: Working Hours and Flexibility in Germany," Politics & Society, , vol. 37(4), pages 554-575, December.
    7. Addison, John T. & Schank, Thorsten & Schnabel, Claus & Wagner, Joachim, 2003. "German Works Councils in the Production Process," IZA Discussion Papers 812, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. John T. Addison, 2005. "The Determinants Of Firm Performance: Unions, Works Councils, And Employee Involvement/High‐Performance Work Practices," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 52(3), pages 406-450, July.
    9. Schultz Birgit, 2006. "Mikroökonometrische Evaluation der ökonomischen Wirkungen betrieblicher Mitbestimmung - Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des Matching-Ansatzes / Microeconometric Evaluation of Economic Effects of Workers Par," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 226(5), pages 519-536, October.
    10. Koller, Lena, 2005. "Arbeitsrechtliche Schwellenwerte: Regelungen an der Schwelle zur Unüberschaubarkeit," Discussion Papers 40, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    11. Ipsita Roy & Uwe Cantner & Wolfgang Gerstlberger, 2020. "Works councils, training activities and innovation: a study of German firms," International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 20(3/4), pages 269-294.
    12. Jensen, Uwe & Rässler, Susanne, 2007. "The effects of collective bargaining on firm performance : new evidence based on stochastic production frontiers and multiply imputed German establishment data," IAB-Forschungsbericht 200703, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    13. Franz, Wolfgang, 2005. "Die deutsche Mitbestimmung auf dem Prüfstand : Bilanz und Vorschläge für eine Neuausrichtung (The German model of codetermination under test * conclusions and suggestions for reorientation)," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 38(2/3), pages 268-283.
    14. Addison, John T. & Bellmann, Lutz & Schnabel, Claus & Wagner, Joachim, 2002. "The reform of the German works constitution act: a critical assessment," Discussion Papers 16, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    15. Devicienti, Francesco & Manello, Alessandro & Vannoni, Davide, 2017. "Technical efficiency, unions and decentralized labor contracts," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 260(3), pages 1129-1141.
    16. Franz, Wolfgang, 2005. "Die deutsche Mitbestimmung auf dem Prüfstand : Bilanz und Vorschläge für eine Neuausrichtung (The German model of codetermination under test * conclusions and suggestions for reorientation)," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 38(2/3), pages 268-283.
    17. Steffen Mueller, 2012. "Works Councils and Establishment Productivity," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 65(4), pages 880-898, October.
    18. Schultz, Birgit, 2006. "Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des Matching-Ansatzes – am Beispiel der betrieblichen Mitbestimmung," IWH Discussion Papers 15/2006, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    19. John T. Addison & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2004. "The Course of Research into the Economic Consequences of German Works Councils," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 42(2), pages 255-281, June.
    20. Joachim Wagner, 2008. "German works councils and productivity: first evidence from a nonparametric test," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(9), pages 727-730.
    21. Wolf, Elke & Beblo, Miriam, 2004. "Does Work Time Flexibility Work? An Empirical Assessment of the Efficiency Effects for German Firms," ZEW Discussion Papers 04-47, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    22. Franz, Wolfgang, 2005. "Die deutsche Mitbestimmung auf dem Prüfstand : Bilanz und Vorschläge für eine Neuausrichtung (The German model of codetermination under test * conclusions and suggestions for reorientation)," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 38(2/3), pages 268-283.

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    JEL classification:

    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

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